12 June 2025
What Happened This Week
SRC Initiative to support Yuzakhil
We are pleased to announce that the students raised $841 for our World Vision Sponsor Child, Yuzakhil last Thursday. Thank you to all those who donated.
Reminder: K–2 Music Concert – Friday 20 June
We invite you to celebrate the wonderful achievements of Wyvern’s youngest musicians at the K–2 Music Concert.
Join us next Friday 20 June from 8.45am at Wyvern Hall.
This year the showcase is based on Isabel Otter & Clara Anganuzzi’s book ‘Dear Earth’ and promises to be a remarkable event.
Lindfield Futsal Camp July 2025 (Years 3–6)
We will be holding a two-day Futsal camp for girls and boys in Years 3 to 6 at our Lindfield campus. This event is for current families as well as those outside our community.
Our aim is to provide an active holiday environment with an appropriate balance between ‘Futsal fundamentals’ and ‘Futsal fun’. We hope to cover both individual skills and team concepts during the course of the camp. The camp will be facilitated by two fantastic Newington coaches and national level Futsal representatives – Aurelia Collins and Sienna Beram.
- WHERE: Lindfield Preparatory
- WHEN: Monday 14 July and Tuesday 15 July from 9.00am–1.00pm
- COST: 1 Day = $20, 2 Days = $40
Register now by clicking clicking the button below and please share with families who may be interested.
ICAS Assessment
Wyvern House will be participating in the 2025 ICAS competitions. Participation in these competitions is voluntary.
ICAS provides an opportunity for students in Years 3 to 6 to gain a measure of their own achievement in an external testing situation.
Renew & Create Stall
We have heard at our recent events that one of the greatest joys in life for grandparents – and carers who maintain a ‘grandparenting’ relationship – is nurturing a loving and unique relationship with their grandchild.
As a ‘grandparent’ of a current Newington student, the Stanmore Parents’ & Friends’ Association – in partnership with the College and the Foundation – warmly invites you to join the Renew and Create crafting project.
This new initiative involves current parents and our wider Newington community volunteering with each other to help create hand-made, heartfelt, and sustainable crafts to be sold and shared at our biggest day of the year, Back to Newington Day, on Saturday 16 August.
Vacation Care
CommunityOSH have released their Winter school holiday program. See the link below for more information or to register. Please click here to see their program and to register.
Lost Property
Over recent weeks, there has been an increase in the amount of lost property at Wyvern, including instruments and sporting equipment.
Please ensure all items bought to school are clearly labelled so we can return the items to students as soon as possible. This includes shoes, socks, book bags, music folders and books from your home library. The office staff are happy to help look for lost items.
Co-ed Scholarships for Year 5, 2027
We are excited to announce that co-ed scholarships for girls and boys entering Year 5 in 2027 are now open and close Friday 4 July 2025. These scholarships are in addition to the extensive program already available across academic, co-curricular, sporting and boarding in the Senior School.
To find out more and to apply, click below or email our Admissions team.
Cool Kids Club
In Term 3, Wyvern House will be offering the Cool Kids program to selected students from Years 4–6. The club will run from 3.15pm–4.15pm on Thursday afternoons commencing in the first week of Term 3. It will be coordinated by Mr Sahil Sharma (School Psychologist) and Miss Elina Phamanivanh (Year 3 Classroom teacher).
Cool Kids is a structured program that teaches children and their parents how to better manage a child’s anxiety. The program is based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), involves the participation of children and parents, and focuses on teaching practical skills. Topics covered in the program include:
- Learning about anxiety
- Learning to think realistically
- Parenting an anxious child
- Facing fears using stepladders and
- Learning coping skills such as relaxation or problem solving.
- Please email Mr Sahil Sharma (School Psychologist) or the Wyvern Front Office for further information about the club and how you can register an expression of interest.
Greek School
The after school Greek school are looking for a casual language teacher to help on Wednesdays from 3.00pm–5.30pm. If you are interested, please email greekschool@saintstylianos.org.au
Chapel Thought
On Sunday, Christians around the world celebrated Pentecost. Often considered the Birthday of the Church, Pentecost reflects on the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples as told in Acts, Chapter 2. The events occur some days after Jesus has ascended into heaven and the disciples are commissioned to continue his ministry and told to spread the Good News of God’s love to the world.
The story tells us that the disciples were together in a locked room when suddenly a rushing wind came into the room. Then miraculously small tongues of fire appeared above each disciple’s head, giving them the ability to speak in different languages and proclaim Jesus’ message to all nations. Since then, the image of the flame and the concept of wind have been powerful ways that we depict the Holy Spirit.
Pentecost gives us the opportunity to remember that God’s Spirit is always with us giving us hope and strength in all that we do. Because of Pentecost, we too have the Gift of the Spirit sustaining us and supporting us in all that we do. Pentecost encourages us to reflect on where we have experienced God’s Spirit in our lives and to know that God is always with us.
As a College, we will have an opportunity to reflect on the Gift of the Spirit in our community with our Newington Pentecost Service which will be held on Tuesday 17 June at 5.30pm in the Senior School Chapel. It will be a Uniting Church Service, led by our College Chaplains, with musical leadership from the College Choir. All members of the Newington community, from all campuses, are welcome to attend.
– Pastor Richard La’Brooy
Staff Profile
This week we caught up with our beloved College Chaplain and Mathematics Teacher, Geordie Barham. Whether its through his involvement in Cadets, the AFL program, Chapel services or in the classroom, Geordie is a familiar face to many in our Stanmore community.
Q. Why teaching? What is it you enjoy about teaching?
A. For me, teaching is a ‘calling’. The reward is the success and improvement acquired through those who you serve in educating.
Q. What is something people don’t know about you?
A. I served as a Minister for thirteen years prior to becoming a teacher. I’m a grandfather of two and passionate supporter of all teams Queensland (Lions, Reds, Broncos, Maroons…) despite being born and growing up in Sydney.
Q. Did you have a favourite teacher growing up and why?
A. My favourite teacher was my music teacher, Mrs Mary Lopez, because she believed in my musical ability when I did not. She saw something in me that I struggled to see.
Q. If you could have dinner with any historical figure or celebrity, dead or alive, who would it be and what would you talk about?
A. There’s no doubt I’d want to dine with Jesus Christ. I would ask ‘millions’ of questions in an effort to grasp the depth of care, compassion, love and forgiveness He has for me, like He does for all mankind. I’d like to experience the sense of awe and connection that those characters in the Bible experienced being in His presence.
Q. What was your favourite subject in school when you were a student, and did you ever struggle with a subject yourself?
A. There’s no doubt my favourite subject at school was ‘Mathematics’, simply because it clicked with me. I remember turning up to class back in Year 6 at Beecroft Primary School, reaching within my tote-tray to find a marked Maths quiz that had ‘100%’ written at the top. I remember feeling a deep sense of disbelief, coupled with a resonating sense of satisfaction. With sky-high confidence, this became my beacon for success that sent me through secondary school as an Extension Two (four unit) Mathematician and into university to complete a Bachelor’s degree that majored in Mathematics.
On the flipside, English was a struggle. I did have poor eyesight which made reading more challenging, finding myself in the bottom reading group; a group made up of just three students. I battled throughout high school, yet in the end, English featured as one of my important marks in my overall HSC aggregate. Later in life as a preparatory school educator, I effectively learnt the art of reading and writing, as I crafted how to best teach junior school students to comprehend texts and express themselves in writing.
In light of this, two pieces of advice I’d like to offer:
- Master what you find challenging, turning your weaknesses into strengths.
- Excel with the strengths you’ve been given; never take them for granted.
